Spencer Howson’s new morning radio gig with 4BC

He dominated Brisbane’s breakfast airwaves with the ABC for over a decade, now Spencer Howson has defected to a rival station.

The man who dominated Brisbane breakfast airwaves for over a decade on the ABC has defected to rival 4BC in a significant coup for the station.

Spencer Howson will host the weekend morning shift from 9am to 1pm starting January 16. He takes over from Chris Smith, who will continue to do the 2GB morning shift in Sydney. The 4BC move is part of a long-term strategy aimed at giving Brisbane listeners more local content.

It follows Neil Breen in June taking over breakfast from Alan Jones, and Scott Emerson hosting drive from mid-August after Ben Fordham went to 2GB breakfast.

“I’m looking forward to a new challenge, setting that early alarm again and getting back in the studio to bring a new wave of Brisbane listeners all the latest information to get them through their weekends,” Howson said.

Spencer Howson settles in to 4BC’s Cannon Hill studios this week. Picture: David Clark

4BC content manager Max Dudley said Howson was the latest addition to an expanding line-up of local programming and presenters.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Spencer to host 4BC Weekends,’’ Dudley said.

“His success and experience presenting on Brisbane radio is revered, he’s a Brisbane local who is passionate about local news, and he’s set to do big things in 2021.’’

Howson, 48, is a highly experienced presenter, spending 25 years with ABC Radio and hosting Brisbane’s most-listened-to breakfast show on Aunty from 2005-16.

Howson won the prime time slot comfortably for most of that time before hanging up the microphone.

He is an easy fit for 4BC because his strongest demographic is the over-60s, which is 4BC’s key market.

More recently Howson has been a media lecturer and tutor at the University of Southern Queensland.